nobility
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nobility
A historically privileged social class whose members had special rights and high social status through birth or the granting of a title.
Im Mittelalter hatte der Adel großen Einfluss auf die Politik und besaß den größten Teil des Landes.
In the Middle Ages, the nobility had great influence on politics and owned most of the land.
'Adel' (nobility) is a collective term for a group of people. The word is therefore used only in the singular and has no plural form.
Der Adel besaß früher viele Ländereien.
The nobility used to own many estates.
The adjective for 'der Adel' (the nobility) is 'adlig' (noble/aristocratic). An individual person from the nobility is called 'der Adlige' or 'die Adlige' (a nobleman/a noblewoman).
Sie stammt aus einer alten, adligen Familie.
She comes from an old, aristocratic family.
In a historical context, a distinction is often made between the 'hohen Adel' (high nobility; princes, dukes) and the 'niederen Adel' (lower nobility; knights). Fixed expressions include 'zum Adel gehören' (to belong to the nobility) or 'in den Adelsstand erheben' (to raise someone to the nobility).
Durch besondere Verdienste konnte ein Bürger in den Adelsstand erhoben werden.
Through special merit, a commoner could be raised to the nobility.
When people talk about 'europäischem Adel' (European nobility), royal houses, or reports in the 'Boulevardpresse' (tabloid press), they usually mean the modern group of people with noble titles, not the historical social class.
Die Hochzeit im schwedischen Adel war ein großes Medienereignis.
The wedding among the Swedish nobility was a major media event.
upper class
'der Adel' and 'die Oberschicht' both refer to groups with high social status. 'Der Adel', however, means a specific group connected with titles, ancestry, and history, for example counts or princes. 'Die Oberschicht' is more general and means people with a lot of money, power, or influence. These people do not have to have a noble title. The words can be confused because nobles often belonged, or still belong, to the upper class. When it is about titles and ancestry, 'Adel' fits better. When it is about wealth and social position today, 'Oberschicht' is more natural.
Im Museum erfährt die Klasse viel über den Adel im 18. Jahrhundert.
At the museum, the class learns a lot about the nobility in the 18th century.
In diesem Stadtteil wohnen vor allem Menschen aus der Oberschicht.
This district is mainly home to people from the upper class.